John Locke Foundation Welcomes Brian Mullis as Vice President of Development and Jeanette Doran as Senior Counsel

August 11, 2025

RALEIGH – The John Locke Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Mullis as its new Vice President of Development. Mullis brings extensive experience in strategic philanthropic partnerships and public policy and will play a key role in Locke’s continued growth and impact in North Carolina and beyond.

Mullis joins the Foundation from the Cato Institute, where he served as Senior Director of Partnerships. At Cato, Mullis directed the Legacy Society and was the in-house expert on planned giving, working with supporters to align their philanthropic goals with the Institute’s mission of promoting a freer, more prosperous, and peaceful world. His background also includes service in the North Carolina General Assembly, U.S. Congress, political campaigns, and his family’s small businesses.

A North Carolina native, Mullis holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His roots in both policy and development make him an ideal fit for Locke’s next chapter.

“Brian’s unique mix of policy insight, development expertise, and deep connections to North Carolina make him a tremendous asset to our team,” said Locke CEO Donald Bryson. “We’re excited to welcome him to the Foundation and know he’ll help us further strengthen our relationships with supporters and expand our reach.”

The John Locke Foundation is also pleased to announce that Jeanette Doran, president of the North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law (NCICL), will join the Locke’s staff in a full-time capacity as the I. Beverly Lake, Jr. Chair in Constitutional Studies and Senior Counsel. In this role, Doran will advance scholarship and policy grounded in the North Carolina and U.S. constitutions, further deepening Locke’s commitment to principled, constitutionally informed public policy. She will continue to serve as NCICL’s president.

Doran began her legal career as a federal law clerk in the Middle District of North Carolina after graduating with honors from Campbell Law School. She then served as the Research and Writing Attorney in the appeals section of the Federal Public Defender’s Office, appearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In 2004, she joined the UNC–Chapel Hill School of Government, and a year later became staff attorney at NCICL, ultimately rising to executive director in 2011. Appointed in 2013 by the Governor to chair the Division of Employment Security’s Board of Review, she completed that public service in 2019.

Doran serves on the state’s Rules Review Commission. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Fourth Circuit, multiple federal district courts, and all North Carolina courts. She holds a Juris Doctor from Campbell University.

“Locke has a deep commitment to limited government, constitutional integrity, and the rule of law,” said Bryson. “We are excited to have Jeanette on board, and her expertise accelerates our capacity to inform and empower North Carolinians on the virtues of limited, constitutional government.”

The addition Brian Mullis and Jeanette Doran mark a significant step in Locke’s mission to provide principled policy solutions, defend individual liberty, and promote free markets across the state.